Haribon unveils book on PH biodiversity
DID you know that many of our local wildlife books for kids feature more plants and animals not found in the country?
The lack of learning materials on Philippine wildlife for children can be both surprising and disappointing at the same time, but one mother is aspiring to change that.
To introduce a fun and simple way to promote the country’s biodiversity, Haribon Foundation member Anya Santos-Uy has launched Alpabeto an alphabet book that highlights proudly Filipino plants and animals.
The idea to create a learning material that spotlights local wildlife came to Santos-Uy when she noticed that her children did not know much about the Philippine eagle, pawikan (sea turtle) or musang (palm civet car) as opposed to easily recognizing non-native animals like elephants and giraffes.
Santos-Uy initially sought to create a clothing line that features Philippine wildlife, but eventually changed to a children’s book that focuses on the country’s rich biodiversity.
With the help of her friends from Haribon, Santos-Uy narrowed down the vast number of Philippine species to represent each letter in the alphabet in English, Filipino, and even Ivatan (a language mainly spoken in Batanes).
AlpabetongKalikasan features illustrator Jay Javier’s colorful artworks depicting the unique flora and fauna found in Philippine forests and seas. It also showcases the pre-colonial script of Baybayin, penned with the help of collaborators Dustin Ancheta and Alain Austria.
Aside from helping children learn about Philippine species, the book also contributes to the protection of nature, thanks to its partnership with Haribon Foundation.
“When it comes to learning about Philippine biodiversity, we at Haribon Foundation believe in starting them young! And so, we are excited for this new partnership with AlpabetongKalikasan,” said Thea Maceda, Haribon Constituency and Resource Development manager.
Maceda added the colorful book is the perfect companion for kids’ reading time while supporting Haribon’s work for the environment.
Part of the proceeds from the book will be donated to the foundation to help its efforts in the protection and conservation of Philippine biodiversity.